benireduk Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 In hindsight, Clark might have been better off filling in at left back for Luna and we should have left Baker to stick to Lukaku. Agree that Clark was at fault for the first goal (as well as Tonev and Bacuna switching off to allow Baines and Pienaar to rampage down the left), but it's the first mistake I've seen him make this season and I'm not willing to write him off again so easily after he's proven me wrong. Clark at least has some attacking instinct, and he's a much better passer, which is why I think he'd have been better at left back today. Baker should never play left back again, and if he must, out of necessity like today, then he should stay back and defend. He is awful going forward and much much too slow to get back. However, if Baker had stayed in the middle I kind of doubt he'd have left Lukaku wide open for that first goal. When Okore, Vlaar and Clark are all fit, and when Okore challenges for a first team place, I would like to see Clark move into defensive midfield again. I think with his improved defensive game (today's error notwithstanding) and his ability to pick a decent pass he would be good insurance to sit in front of the back four and allow our other midfielders to get forward more. THIS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROTTERDAM1982 Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Not mobile enough for midfield. When Okores is fit next season, as long as he returns to form, he will play alongside Vlaar , and eventually imho, Baker.Delph and Sylla will be the holding midfielders, Clark is'nt good enough to displace any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted October 26, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted October 26, 2013 He's not good enough as a CB. He's our fourth choice behind Vlaar, Baker and Okore. Makes too many mistakes and his been around the first team for long enough to have learned by now. At fault for the first goal today. I don't agree with anything here. If anything he's too careful with his passes forward and easily passes back to Guzan, but I can live with that. I don't know why he didn't start today. Baker being better against more physical opponents is bull in my mind. And Baker surely wasn't good against Spurs. Generally I expect next season's CB duo to be Clark - Okore. With Vlaar added every now and then. Baker is the fourth choice. Clark being 1st choice worries me massively. He has made costly mistakes and personally I think he's too slow and clumsy to be a decent CB. I think he could be half decent in midfield though. Baker would star ahead of Clark all day for me. No nonsense defender and you know what you're going to get from him, which you can't say about CC Sorry for my overly defensive post above benireduk. BTW, how big is Clark's foot? Looks like a massive canoe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benireduk Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 He's not good enough as a CB. He's our fourth choice behind Vlaar, Baker and Okore. Makes too many mistakes and his been around the first team for long enough to have learned by now. At fault for the first goal today. I don't agree with anything here. If anything he's too careful with his passes forward and easily passes back to Guzan, but I can live with that. I don't know why he didn't start today. Baker being better against more physical opponents is bull in my mind. And Baker surely wasn't good against Spurs. Generally I expect next season's CB duo to be Clark - Okore. With Vlaar added every now and then. Baker is the fourth choice. Clark being 1st choice worries me massively. He has made costly mistakes and personally I think he's too slow and clumsy to be a decent CB. I think he could be half decent in midfield though. Baker would star ahead of Clark all day for me. No nonsense defender and you know what you're going to get from him, which you can't say about CC Sorry for my overly defensive post above benireduk. BTW, how big is Clark's foot? Looks like a massive canoe. Maybe that's why he lost Lukaku for the first goal?!?! Lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heid3ster Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Not mobile enough for midfield. When Okores is fit next season, as long as he returns to form, he will play alongside Vlaar , and eventually imho, Baker.Delph and Sylla will be the holding midfielders, Clark is'nt good enough to displace any of them. I disagree on a few counts. Baker will never be anything other than a central defender (although I think he has it in him to be a very good one). He doesn't the passing ability or the footballing brain to play in central or defensive midfield (or left back). Okore actually might be a decent fit as a defensive mid. Clark is actally quite mobile -- not pacey, mind you, but athletic and good with the ball at his feet. The reason he made so many silly errors last season was that he was constantly trying these Cruyff-like turns and got muscled off the ball. That is a TERRIBLE idea when you're the last man back, but it's an asset in midfield. At DM, if he tries a turn like that and it comes off, we've got a play going forward. He's definitely got the ability. And if it doesn't come off, we've still got guys behind him to defend. I think it's his future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myko Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Not mobile enough for midfield. When Okores is fit next season, as long as he returns to form, he will play alongside Vlaar , and eventually imho, Baker.Delph and Sylla will be the holding midfielders, Clark is'nt good enough to displace any of them. Baker in midfield... Yeah and let's recall Ireland and put him at the back with Vlaar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROTTERDAM1982 Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Read it again, i did'nt say Baker should play in midfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 (edited) Edit. Edited October 26, 2013 by Dr_Pangloss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avflife Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 (edited) Back to his old shit-self again today, at fault for the first goal and should of been at to left back instead of Baker; Baker had Lukaku in his back-pocket the whole of the first half. Edited October 26, 2013 by Avflife Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heid3ster Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Read it again, i did'nt say Baker should play in midfield Ah, I see that now. Missed a crucial full stop in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myko Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Ohh my bad. Quite the encrypted message though! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted October 27, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted October 27, 2013 Quite a turnaround - from best player one page ago to unworthy of first back-up duties behind Vlaar and Okore! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted November 2, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted November 2, 2013 Not the best game by Clark today. Ciaran has lost a bit of form since he had to skip one game because of flu. He was demoted to the bench the next game in favor of Baker. He came on when Luna was injured, but made some questionable decisions. It continued today. Hopefully he gets his head back on for next game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 From what i saw i thought he was ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Con Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Looked like the £15m defender today we always thought he would be. Another clean sheet. How much better can he get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troon_villan Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted November 3, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted November 3, 2013 From what i saw i thought he was ok You're right, he was much better on the second half. He made a couple errors on the first half, which you can maybe notice from the match thread. They didn't lead to anything serious so people forgot them. I maybe follow him a bit more than many others since I like him and want him to do real well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packoman Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Very solid game at left back today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avfc96 Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Very good game from him today, looked alot better than last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Looked pretty poor the last few times I remember him at LB but was solid today and even went forward a bit. Better option there then Baker it would seem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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